Originally Posted by Stefan Daystrom

The other thing to keep in mind is that in many cases availability is simply cost! Most airlines have discount awards (which is the ones everyone wants to use, and the only kind often mentioned), and then non-discount awards, which are double. The double-miles-cost awards are almost always available. So are you saying that the discount awards on *A cost more, or are you just saying that you have to use the double-miles-cost awards on *A more? Because the double-miles-cost awards are available on AA too, and if you're willing to "pay" more miles, then most any award is available on AA too. (It's just that most people call an award only being available at double miles as "not avialable".)